The Basics of Force.

Learn the basics of force with this kid-friendly science lesson. Understand pushing, pulling, speed, direction, friction, and examples of force in everyday life. Includes a conclusion table and a quiz.

📘 Conclusion Table: The Basics of Force

Concept	What It Means	Examples
Force	A push or pull	Kicking a ball, opening a door
Push	Moves an object away	Pushing a cart
Pull	Moves an object toward you	Pulling a rope
Friction	A force that slows objects	Shoes on ground, sliding on floor
Gravity	Pulls everything downward	Dropping a ball
Balanced Forces	Equal forces; no movement	Two equal pushes
Unbalanced Forces	Unequal forces; movement occurs	Winning tug-of-war

Set 7.1 The Basics of Force for Kids | Easy Science Lesson with Examples

1 / 10

1. What is a force?

A. A type of animal

B. A push or a pull

C. A kind of weather

D. A loud sound

2 / 10

2. What happens when you push an object?

A. It moves toward you

B. It moves away from you

C. It floats

D. It disappears

3 / 10

3. Pulling an object makes it move _____.

A. Away from you

B. Toward you

C. Up and down

D. In circles

4 / 10

4. What force slows things down when surfaces rub together?

A. Gravity

B. Light

C. Friction

D. Sound

5 / 10

5. What force pulls everything toward the Earth?

A. Friction

B. Electricity

C. Gravity

D. Magnetism

6 / 10

6. If two equal forces push an object, the forces are _____.

A. Balanced

B. Unbalanced

C. Heavy

D. Fast

7 / 10

7. If one force is stronger than the other, the object will _____.

A. Stay still

B. Move

C. Change color

D. Explode

8 / 10

8. Which is an example of a pull?

A. Kicking a ball

B. Opening a drawer

C. Pushing a door

D. Hitting a drum

9 / 10

9. Pressing the brakes on a bike is an example of _____.

A. Starting motion

B. Friction stopping movement

C. Gravity

D. Balanced force

10 / 10

10. Kicking a ball harder makes it _____.

A. Slower

B. Stop immediately

C. Change shape

D. Move faster

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The Basics of Force

A force is a push or a pull that makes an object move, stop, change speed, or change direction. We use force every day without even noticing it.

For example:

Pushing a door
Pulling a drawer
Kicking a ball
Stopping a bicycle

Forces help things move and help us control how they move.

1. Types of Force

Push

A push moves something away from you.
Examples:

Pushing a shopping cart
Pushing a swing
Kicking a soccer ball

Pull

A pull moves something toward you.
Examples:

Pulling a rope
Opening a drawer
Pulling a wagon

2. Force Changes Motion

A force can change how an object moves in three ways:

1. Start Moving

Example: You push a bike to make it move.

2. Stop Moving

Example: You press the brakes to stop a bicycle.

3. Change Speed or Direction

Example: Turning the handle of a bike changes direction.
Example: Kicking a ball harder makes it go faster.

3. Friction

Friction is a force that slows things down when two surfaces rub together.

Examples:

Shoes help you walk without slipping (friction with the ground).
A slide is smooth, so there is less friction.

More friction = object slows down
Less friction = object moves faster

4. Gravity

Gravity is a force that pulls everything down toward the Earth.
Examples:

A ball falls when you drop it.
Rain falls from the sky.
You stay on the ground instead of floating.

Gravity works everywhere on Earth.

5. Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Balanced Forces

When two forces are equal, nothing moves.
Example: Two people pushing a box with the same strength.

Unbalanced Forces

When one force is stronger, movement happens.
Example: One team wins a tug-of-war because they pull harder.